Electric weft detector for looms



Aug- 23, 1949. AL c. KRUKoNls 2,479,845

ELECTRIC WEFT DETECTOR FOR LOOMS Filed Feb. 3, 1948 INVENTOR ALEXANDER C. KRUKONIS ATTORNEY Patented ug. 2K3, 194g ELECTRIC WEFT DETECTOR FOR LOOMS Alexander C. Krukonis, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 3, 1948, Serial'No. 5,992'

. 6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in electric weft detectors for looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide means for preventing a repeated or false indication of weft exhaustion on weft replenishing beats of the loom.

Weft replenishing looms of the multicolor type generally employ a weft detector on the replenishing side of the loom. Because of this location of the weft detector it must be moved out of the path of the incoming bobbin at the time of replenishment. When a side slipping weft detector is employed for the purpose of closing an electric contact upon indication of weft exhaustion there is likelihood that the contact will be improperly closed when the detector is moved forwardly, thereby initiating an undesired false operation of the replenishing mechanism.

Many multicolor weft replenishing looms employ an actuator lever which has a regularly recurring movement on weft detecting but nonindlcating beats of the loom. A controller such as a pin is normally out of the path of the lever, but when the weft detector indicates weft exhaustion the controller moves under the latter to interrupt its normal movement and thereby initiate weft replenishment. Because of the tendency of the side slipping of the weft detector arm to give a false indication there is danger that the controller pin will be moved under the lever on a weft replenishing beat of the loom and start a econd but unnecessary weft replenishing operaion.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide means by which the controller path of the weft detector to cause rocking of the shaft in a direction to move the controller pin away from the actuator lever on replenishing beats of the loom.

This third arm is normally spaced from the weft detector to permit the controller to move rearwardly under the actuator lever when a proper indication of weft exhaustion is given, but it must also be capable of movement forwardly -from its normal position. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide control means for the third lever which will permit it to occupy a normal position from which it may be moved either rearwardly at the time a true indication of weft exhaustion, or forwardly to prevent a false indication.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. l is a plan view of a weft detector made according to the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which forward movement of the weft detector prevents a false indication.

Referring to the drawings which show the invention applied to the usual multicolor weft replenishing loom, a stationary support or stand lil guides a controller pin II for back and forth motion with respect to a vertically reciprocated actuator lever I2. The latter is under control of a cam not shown but Well known and that end of the lever shown in Fig. 1 ordinarily has an uninterrupted downward movement when the lay not 'shown is at front center on weft detecting beats of the loom. If the controller pin II is under the lever the normal movement of the latter is interrupted and it initiates a weft replenishing operation, otherwise the lever has an idle movement.

Controller pinl II is pivoted to the upper end of an arm I3 secured in adjusted angular position to a small rock shaft I4 by means of a set screw I5.V Shaft I4 is mounted for rocking movement in forwardly extending bearings I6 on the stand I0. The latter I0 has a stud 29 on which is mounted va stationary support or base 2| on which a sliding weft detector member 22 is mounted for back and forth motion relatively to the bobbin B to be detected. Compression spring 23 normallyholds'the slide 22 in rear position but permits it to be moved forwardly. An arm 24 extends rearwardly from slide member 22 and is provided with an upright pivot pin 25. Part of the transferrer mechanism of the loom is shown at 26 and includes a roll 21 for engagement with a lug 28 secured to and extending upwardly from the vslide 22. Ordinarily the transfer mechanism is at rest, but on a weft replenishlng beat of the loom the roll 21 moves forwardly, or in a direction toward shaft I4, and engages the lug 28 to move the slide 22 forwardly. A stop stud 29 on the base 2| engages the rear end of an adjusting screw 38 carried by the slide member 22 and affords means for adjusting the rear position of slide 22 relatively to the base 2l. n

The matter thus far described is of common construction on multicolor weft replenishing looms and operates in the usual manner.

The weft detector D mounted on the slide 22 is of the side slipping type and includes a lever 35 mounted pivotally on the stud 25` and formed with a laterally extending arm 36 in which is mounted a tube 31 through which extends a detector wire or element 38. A light spring 39 within the tube urges the detector element 38 rearwardly and a stop shoulder 48 on the wire engages the rear end of the tube to limit backward movement of the wire. A feeler tip 4I is secured to the rear end of the wire 38 and the latter and the tube are offsetin the directionvof the length of the bobbin B relatively to stud 25.A Extending forwardly from lever- 35 is an armu45 having a pin 46 normally engaging anrvarmnlll of an electric switch designated generally at S. rIhis switch is secured to the top of slide 22 and normally tends to close, butis held open byv means of a spring 48 surrounding stud 25 and tending normaliy to turn lever 35 in acounter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1. Y

During a weft detecting operation when sumcient weft for continued weavingmis present on bobbin B wire 38 will slide forwardly againstthe action of spring 39 without turning lever 35 or moving slide 22 and switch S Ywill remain open. When the bobbin is depleted of weft the tip 4I will slip laterally in a right hand: direction as viewed in Fig. 1 during a detecting -operation and lever 35 will rock in a clockwise direction, Fig. 1, thereby permitting arm i1 toA move to the left to eiect closure of switch S. Y Y

VClosure of switch S energizes an electromagnet 50 secured to a bracket 5IY mounted on stand I0. The solenoid has a core 5-2 whichisnormally in the down position shown in fullglines Fig. 4 d ue to gravity. An arm 53 secured to the previously described shait I4 is pivoted to the core and whenever the solenoid is energized the core is raised to rock shaft I4 in a clockwise directionas viewed in Fig. 4, thereby moving the controller pin II rearwardly under the actuator lever I2. Y 1Asosoon as the detecting operation has been completed switch S will be opened with resultant deenergization of solenoid 50 and the core -52 will fall. The matter described in connection Ywith the lever 35, the switch S and the solenoid 50 of itself forms no part of my present invention, and may be the same as that set forth in application Serial No. 6,050, filed by Whitin on February 3, 1948. The roll 21 moves forwardly to engage lug 28 as an empty bobbin advances on a replenishing beat of the loom and then moves -rearwardly as the full bobbin freshly inserted into the shuttle moves away from front center position. At some time during this reciprocation of member 22 switch S is likely -to be Aclosed and solenoid 50 energized. The purpose -of my present invention is to prevent this undesired Aenergization of the solenoid from moving controller pin II under the actuator lever I2). A Y

In carrying my present invention into eifectI provide a bolt 60 having a head 6I onwhichthe core 52 rests. The bolt extends through anlafperfture 62 formed in the bottom ledge or iiange 63 of the bracket 5I and has its lower end threaded as at 64 to receve a stop nut 65 and lock nut 66 therefor. A compression spring 61 is located between the head 6| and the flange 63 and is oi suilicient strength to keep the bolt normally in the raised position shown in Fig. 3 and also support the weight of the core and the arm 53. A third arm 'i0 on `shaft I4 is secured thereto in angularly adjusted position by means of the screw 1I and extends upwardly from the shaft so that its top end is spaced forwardly from the slide 22 as shown for instance in Fig. 2.

Under normal conditions the core 52 and arm 53 will oat on and be supported by the bolt head 6I and spring 61, and arm 1I] will be spaced forwardly of the slide member 22. When a proper indication of weft exhaustion is given by lateral movement of the detector 38 and subsequent closure of switch S, solenoid 50 will be energized to raise core 52 and rock shaft I4 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 4 to move controller pin II under the actuator lever I2. During this movement the arm 18 moves rearwardly towaid the slide 22 which remains stationary in rear position when indication of weft exhaustion is given. On those detecting beats of the loom when indication is not given the detector 38 will move forwardly with respect to the tube 37 without rocking of lever 35 or forward movement of slide member 22.

At a later time in the operation of the loom the replenishing operation occurs and roll A21 will move forwardly and engage lug 28 for the purpose of advancingV slide member 22 and all parte supported by it. This is a usual operation in the weft detecting mechanisms of weft replenishing looms and one of its purposes is to move the detector 38 out of the path of the incoming bobbin. As slide member 22 is moved forwardly by the transfer mechanism it will engage the upper end of arm 'Ill and move the latter forwardly, thereby rocking shaft I4 in a counter-clockwise direction to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4 to move controller pin II forwardly. The resultant downward movement of that end of arm 53 connected to the core will temporarily compress spring 61. If switch S should close as a1- ready described the solenoid will not be able to move under lever I2 and a false indication will be avoided.

1t may not be necessary -ln all instances to. have the slide member 22 actually move the arm- Ir forwardly, since it will be sumcient if the undesired energization of solenoid 50 resulting from a false indicating movement of lever 35 be prevented from moving controller pin 11 rearwardlyunder actuator lever I2. The-false indication by lever 35 is likely to occur when the slide member 22 'is in vits foremost position and this is the time when solenoid 50 will be energized. 1f at that time Islide member `2Il just engages arm 1i), or isv close enough to it torprevent rearward movement of controller pin II to a position under actuator leverrl2, the purposes of the invention "will be served. If, however, the torsion spring 48 should have a setting which effects a rather slow 'return of detector lever 35 to its normal position after pivotal movement due to its momentum, vthe solenoid 58 might remain closed during the 'first part of the rearward return movement'of slide member 22, in which event there would'fbe 'likelihood that controller pin Il wouldvmove under lever 1 2. It is for this reason that I prefer to use spring 61 which permits arm 10 to be moved lforward-ly by.

the slide member 22 whenever the latter is advanced by the transferrer mechanism. If under these conditions the solenoid should remain energized during the rst part of the backward movement of member 22 the controller pin-will be in a position forward of its normal non-indicating position and the solenoid will not be able to move pin I I to indicating position before spring 48 has returned lever 45 to its normal position with resultant opening of switch S and deenergization of the solenoid.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided simple means by which an electric weft detector which gives a false indication resulting from forward movement of the slide member 22 .will be prevented from initiating an undesired weft replenishing operation. The arm occupies an intermediate position between the two extremes to which it can be moved and is held in this position by gravity and spring 6T. When a proper indication of weft exhaustion is given the arm moves rearwardly due to the fact that it is ordinarily spaced forwardly from the slide member 22, and when a replenishing operation occurs the arm will be moved fordwardly with resultant compression of spring E7. While I have shown one particular form of resilient mounting for the solenoid core and arm 53, I do not wish necessarily to be limited to this construction, since it will serve the purposes of the invention if the stop arm can be supported in an intermediate position from which it can be moved rearwardly when a proper indication is given and be moved forwardly at the time of bobbin transfer to prevent a false indication,

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In weft detecting mechanism for a loom having an actuator lever moving in a given path and a controller therefor which when in normal position is out of said path, a slide member normally in rear position but moving forwardly incident to a weft replenishing operation, a weft detector on the slide member, means moving the controller from the normal position thereof into said path when the detector indicates weft exhaustion, and stop means moving with said controller normally spaced from the slide member when the controller is in normal position and moving toward the latter when the controller moves into said path, said slide member when moving forwardly engaging said stop means to prevent the controller from moving into said path, thereby preventing the controller from moving into said path should the detector indicate weft exhaustion while the slide member is forward of its normal position.

2. In weft detecting mechanism for a loom having an actuator lever moving in a given path and a controller therefor which when in normal position is out of said path, a slide member normally in rear position but moving forwardly incident to a weft replenishing operation, a weft detector on the slide member, resilient means normally preventing said controller from moving from the normal position thereof in a direction away from said path, stop means moving with the controller supported by the resilient means in a normal position spaced forwardly from the slide member when the latter is in normal position and from which the stop means is movable either rearwardly or. forwardly, andmeans moving the' controller into said path and the stop means toward said slide member when the detector indicates weft exhaustion, said slide member when moving forwardly moving the stop means forwardly against the action of said resilient means and moving the controller. away from said path, thereby preventing the controller from moving into said path should the detector indicate weft exhaustion vwhile the slide member is forward of its normal position.

3. In a weft detecting mechanism for a loom including an actuator lever moving in a given path and having a rock shaft, a controller operatively connected to the rook shaft and normally forward of said path,'a slide member normally in rear position but moving forwardly on weft replenishing beats of the loom, a weft detector 0n the slide member, a stop arm secured to the shaft 'and normally spaced forwardly of said slide member,'and means rocking the shaft in one direction to move the controller into said path and move said stop arm toward said slide when the detector indicates weft exhaustion and the slide ls in normal rear position, said slide member when moving forwardly engaging said stop arm to rock the shaft in the opposite direction and move the controller away from said path, thereby preventing the controller from moving into said path should the detector indicate weft exhaustion while the slide member is forward of its normal position.

4. In weft detecting mechanism for a loom including an actuator lever moving in a given path and having a rock shaft, a controller operatively connected to the rock shaft and normally forward of said path, a slide member normally in rear position but moving forwardly on weft I'eplenishing beats of the loom, a weft detector on the slide member, resilient means normally determining the position of said shaft and controller, a stop arm secured to the shaft and normally spaced forwardly from said slide member, and means rocking the shaft in a direction to move the controller into said path when the detector indicates weft exhaustion, the stop arm thereupon moving toward the slide member, and the latter when moving forwardly engaging the stop arm to rock the shaft in the opposite direction against the action of said resilient means and thereby move the controller away from said path.

5. In weft detecting mechanism for a loom including an actuator lever moving in a given path and having a rock shaft, a controller operatively connected to the rock shaft and normally forward of said path, a slide member normally in rear position but moving forwardly on weft replenishing beats of the loom, a side slipping electrically indicating weft detector pivoted on said slide member tending to give a false indication of weft exhaustion incident to forward movement of the slide member, a stop arm secured to the shaft normally spaced forwardly from the slide member, and electro-magnetic means effective while the slide member is in rear position and when the detector indicates weft exhaustion to rock the shaft in a direction to move the controller into said path, the stop arm thereupon moving toward the slide member, said slide member when moving forwardly engaging said stop arm to rock the shaft in the opposite direction against the action of said resilient means, there- -by preventing the controller from moving into said path should the detector give a false indimember.

6. In weft detector mechanism for @loom haar# ing ani actuator lever movingrn' a;given'patli,. a rock shaft, a controller operatively connected: to the; shaft normally forward of moving-into said path when thev shaft:` roclm in a. given direetiom a.V slide` member normally in rear position moving forwardlyon weit regnlerrisl'ri ing beats of the loom, a; side slipping indicating weft detector pivoted the'slide and tending to give a falseindicationof weft exhaustion incident to forward movement'ofthe slide member;` an arm secured tothe" slaazfi a normally deenergized solenoid having ai core con:- neeted to and normalbt resting on`r the' ama spring normally supporting the arm-end core and maintaining the controller in the normal position thereof',y the solenoid upon indication of weft exhaustion by the detect-or raising the core and arm to rock saidv shaft in said given direceationf ine-ident to forward movement of@ stifshde toi move` heeontrol-ler intoV said path, and a.: second secured to said shaft normally spaced. forwardly from the slide member and moving toward the latter when the controller moves' intoy said path, vsaid slide member when moving. forwardly moving said second armto rack said shaft in a. direction opposite to said given direction to move the controller away from seidand thereby prevent the controller from 20 Number moving; .said path, should the detector give a false indication of weft exhaustion while the Slide member is forward lof'its` normal position. ALEXANDER C. KRIIKONIS. 

